


Comfortably Numb

by jeffthemermaid



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arguing, Best Friends, Blow Jobs, Bottom Loki (Marvel), Domestic Avengers, Drama & Romance, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gay, Gay Sex, Kid Peter Parker, Loneliness, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Mental Health Issues, Oral Sex, Parent Tony Stark, Parenthood, Romance, Smut, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Tony Stark Has Issues, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 12:50:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16063517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeffthemermaid/pseuds/jeffthemermaid
Summary: MCU alternate universe. No powers, or Avengers team. Set in present time.*Frostiron*Spidey son.Unhappy marriage and shame are the main themes here. And smut of course.





	1. Behind Closed Doors

Loki smoothed the $7000 dress down over his flat torso, and admired the way the green silk clung to his narrow hips.

He wanted to wear this dress, to show up for school drop off looking like a flawless, androgynous model, and walk with his head held high, ignoring the stares of other parents and the laughter and flashing bulbs of the paparazzi and their cameras.

But he wouldn’t.

Because all he could think about was his husbands reaction, the disappointment and humiliation that would be written in his eyes, the coldness of their bed when he stayed in his workshop, leaving Loki alone for the night.

He imagined his son, who already suffered because of his parent’s sexual orientations and subsequent marriage, being bullied mercilessly because of the way one of his dads dressed.

Loki looked away from the mirror, unable to stomach how pathetic he looked, and shimmied out of the dress. He stood naked, took the garment in his hands, pressed it to his face and breathed in the scent of new fabric.

After a moment he tossed the dress to the floor and walked away from it angrily. He pulled his usual clothes from his wardrobe and dressed quickly. Pale blue jeans, skinny fit, brown leather shoes, brown belt, white shirt, and a navy coat that reached to mid-thigh. All of his clothes were expensive, designer, and should be enough for any fashion orientated man.

But Loki couldn’t help but glance longingly at the dress crumpled on his floor as he combed his thick black hair back into a low pony tail and dabbed some cologne behind his ears.

Finally he turned away from the dress, and now, ready to face the day, he exited the huge and well decorated bedroom he shared with his husband, and made his way downstairs.

His husband’s secretary, and the manager of their household, Pepper Potts, was seated in the kitchen at the breakfast bar.

In front of her were several stacks of papers, she had a pencil in her mouth, a bagel in one hand, a calculator in the other, her pale blond hair was fashioned off her face in a French knot, and her features were set in a concentrated frown.

“Good morning Miss Potts.” Loki greeted her cheerfully, using her title rather than her name humorously since they both found it funny how irritated his husband was by them being on a first name basis. It wasn’t that he was controlling, it was Loki and Pepper who had brought his resentment on themselves by teaming together to give him a hard time on many occasions.

“And good morning to you Mr Stark, if it is a good morning, which I doubt.” Pepper responded after she’d removed the pencil from her mouth.

“Oh? What’s happened?” Loki asked, vaguely curious as he poured them both a cup of coffee and a down across from her.

“Your husband is doing his best to destroy all our foreign relationship work with England apparently.” Pepper said with her usual frustrated-but-prepared tone as she scribbled down more numbers on a pad in front of her.

Loki sighed, entirely unsurprised, and picked up the remote from the bar and flicked on the oversized TV on the wall behind Pepper.

The most major networks news channel logo flashed across the screen before a pompous sounding woman’s voiceover began narrating footage of Loki’s husband exiting a limousine and entering Buckingham palace.

“Tony Stark, seen here on his way to a supposedly charity related business meeting with Charles, the Prince of Wales, has angered yet another country with his thoughtless remarks.”

Loki cringed as the news switched to a low quality video, marked as exclusive footage, of his husband inside the palace.

“Tea is ridiculous. Who needs tea? Americans drink coffee, and I don’t see the need for other beverages.” Tony said arrogantly as he pushed the tea he was being served away.

Pepper and Loki both shook their heads as Loki switched off the show before he had to hear about what an arrogant twit the man he loved was.

“I really don’t know what possess him sometimes.” Loki muttered as he knocked back his coffee and went to pour himself another cup.

“They’re going to bring you up, since you’re English, and already the media is putting a racist spin on it.” Pepper shrugged apologetically. “I’ll call in my best damage control, and I agree, some billionaires opinion on hot beverages ought to be irrelevant to the world, but as with everything, the internet has overreacted.”

Loki nodded before sitting down again and nursing his drink pensively. “When does he get home?”

“Tonight.” Pepper answered immediately, without checking her schedule. “He gets in at 7.45pm and he’s cancelled dinner, there’s an opening gala downtown for the new science museum at 9pm and he wants you ready to go by 8.30pm.”

Loki didn’t answer immediately. He was hurt that Tony couldn’t even text or call him to arrange plans. Since when did they communicate through Pepper?

“I suppose he doesn’t care that his son hasn’t seen him in two weeks?” Loki said eventually, swallowing his own anger to be angry on behalf of their 9-year-old son.

“This gala is important. If he doesn’t go it’ll look like somethings wrong.” Pepper said gently as she gathered her papers together.

Loki harrumphed resentfully, again Peppers logic was infallible, but it didn’t stop him from feeling upset. Pepper just gave him a smile and finished gathering up her things.

“Don’t worry about picking Peter up this morning, I want to take him out since we won’t be going out tonight.” Loki told Pepper as she was about to leave. She nodded and changed the schedule on her iPad as he put his used mug in the sink. “And could you make a return for me? It’s Channel and I don’t want to go all the way downtown today.”

“No problem.” Pepper gave him one last smile in answer to his request, though her eyes looked sad and headed upstairs.

Loki grabbed his car keys and wallet from their usual spot on the table and hurried outside, eager to pick up Peter and have some fun before the inevitable unenjoyable evening ahead of him.

The drive to his brother’s house was a quiet one. Loki’s lived with his family in Tony’s mansion on a sea-side cliff on the coast of Malibu. Loki’s brother, Thor, lived a few miles away, on the ocean front.

Only the very rich lived in this area, so traffic was virtually non-existent.

As it usually did in California, the sun shone brightly, and its light reflected off the waves in a blindingly glittering fashion as Loki pulled up the driveway to his brother’s house just above the beach.

Warm wind blew around him, lifting the sand as Loki climbed out of his car and breathed in the ocean air happily. In the water he could just make out his brothers broad figure surfing the waves as the crashed toward the shore.

Their huge house had a wrap-around deck, and the sounds of laughter and playing led Loki to walk along it around the house, instead of using the front door.

Behind on the house, in the shade of the deck was Thor’s wife, the beautiful, and heavily pregnant, Valkyrie. She was surrounded by her children, Loki’s son, and the family dogs.

They were all on yoga mats (with the exception of the two dogs, two golden Labradors named Elba and Idris) and doing their best to imitate Valkyries perfect stance.

“Daddy!” Peter caught sight of his father and tumbled down from his yoga position and ran to him in excitement.

“Hello my little man!” Loki greeted him warmly and knelt to catch the boy in his arms. Loki hugged him tight, breathing in the scent of sand, soap and the general outdoors happily, pleased to see his son having a good time.

“Loki, how are you?” Valkyrie unfolded herself gracefully and stood up, her bronze skin glowing vibrantly in the sunshine as she stepped over her various children (whom by now were occupying themselves by attempting to climb all over each other) and approached her brother-in-law.

“I’m well, and you?” Loki stood when Peter wriggled out of his grasp and ran back to join his unruly cousins.

“I’m good, I’m about ready to have this one evicted.” She joked patting the bare skin of her pregnant belly. As was her usual, she was dressed only in a sports bra and yoga pants. “Your brothers still out in the water, I can flag him down if you want to stay for a coffee?”

“No that’s fine, I won’t interrupt your day, and I’ve a few errands to be getting on with.” Loki turned her down politely.

Valkyrie accepted this without question and fetched Peter’s backpack and shoes from inside. Loki watched his son play with his cousins until she returned.

All 7 of Loki’s nieces and nephews were barefoot like their mother, and they looked like a tribe of warriors. All of them had their mother’s coppery skin, and their fathers bright blue eyes, and they each had a huge mop of hair, some were blonde like Thor, and the others dark like their mother.

When Valkyrie returned with his things Peter said goodbye to all of his cousins and rather amicably followed his father to the car. Peter was a well behaved child. Growing up neither of his fathers tolerated tantrums, whining or begging, and they’d always encouraged him to communicate like an adult, which he had learned to do.

Loki’s car was a 4 seater black convertible Maserati, and though Peter always wanted to sit in the front seat with his father, he dutifully buckled himself into the backseat and lay back to enjoy the wind whooshing past them as Loki took off down the highway.

Loki spent the day with his son, and they both had a grand time.

They went to the beach carnivals, and went on all of the rides. They had lunch on the pier, and finished by taking a boat ride out to see a pod of dolphins. It was a lot, but Loki enjoyed treating his son to nice things. He was good kid, he did well in school, and he knew Peter was often a target of bullying because he had two dads, even though the school they sent him to was supposed to be progressive.

By the time they arrived home it was almost 6 o’clock. The young nanny the Starks had on a regular basis, Darcy, was already there, and had dinner heating for Peter. Darcy was a sassy college grad, and her humour and brashness was a refreshing influence on Peter, one which both Tony and Loki agreed was important.

Loki bade Peter goodnight before leaving him with Darcy and went upstairs to get ready for the gala at the new science museum.

He hurried into his bedroom and closed the door behind him. He noted that Pepper had found the dress on his floor, because it was gone, and began stripping his clothes off. He tossed them all in the laundry chute inside his walk-in wardrobe, and strode naked across his bedroom and into the en-suite bathroom.

The entire bathroom was sleek, modern, and monochromatic, but Loki’s favourite part was the shower. There little shower head, the water came from a square fitting on the ceiling that was about a foot wide, and drilled dozens of symmetrical holes and there was also a small handheld shower head hung on the wall to be used for those hard to reach places.

Loki turned the handle on the wall under the handheld shower head and immediately water rained down in front of him. Once the water was at the temperature he liked, (piping hot) he stepped under the water and stood for several moments, just enjoying the water falling over and all around him.

He always took ages in the shower, exfoliating, shaving, cleaning, basking, but by the time he exited, his lithe, pale form looked practically god-like. After he shut off the water he reached for a towel and patted his face and hair dry. He wrapped the towel around his hips and combed his long hair back, rubbed in some moisturizing oils and tied it up on top of his head. He then applied a pore-reducing facial mask and set about moisturising his body.

Once he’d cleaned off his face, and moisturised that as well, he discarded his towel and wandered over to his wardrobe to assess his clothing choices. He was sizing up two different suits when his bedroom door opened and his husband strode in.

“Babe.” Tony Stark took off his sunglasses and let out a low whistle of appreciation as his gloriously naked husband turned to look at him.

“Tony,” Loki began, his gorgeous face creased into a frown and his tone not that of a happy man.

“Hey.” Tony interrupted him, shutting the door behind them and leaning on it tiredly. His eyes never left his husbands form. “Can I just look at you for five minutes before the night is ruined by fighting?”

Loki bit his lip, annoyed but pleased by the way his husband’s eyes were fixated on him.

Loki lowered his gaze so he could look up at Tony through his long dark lashes and raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t think you’d missed me. You’ve called once. In two weeks.”

Tony grimaced and held out his hands apologetically. “Will it help if I apologise? I’ve just been busy, insulting your entire home country apparently.”

Loki chuckled. “Yes I’ve heard.”

Tony approached his love, his tanned skin, dark stubble, muscular figure and travelled in clothes standing in stark contrast to Loki’s clean-shaven, pale, narrow exposed figure.

“You smell great by the way, just makes me want to take you right here.” Tony murmured as he came to a stop in front of Loki, mere inches from his husband.

“So you did miss me then?” Loki questioned, wrapping his lean arms around his husband’s neck and pressing his naked groin against him. He grinned mischievously as he felt Tony’s manhood harden through his jeans in response to Loki’s advance.

“Okay I’ll say it, I missed you. It’s been two weeks of masturbating in a hotel room, longing for you, and for your mouth.” Tony conceded, attempting to kiss Loki, but his husband pulled away from him in distaste.

“Well I’m sorry you had to masturbate away your loneliness.” Loki spat, letting go of Tony and pushing past him. “You wouldn’t be alone if you let me come with you once in a while, and thanks by the way, for asking me how I’ve been, oh and also thanks for asking how your son has been!”

Tony turned after Loki, visibly hurt by his rejection, and defensive of his actions.

“I go out, working my ass off for this family, to keep you in the lap of luxury, and provide the best possible future for our son, and you dare to question me, and what I need to do for my business?” Tony glared at Loki as the paler man started getting dressed. “You have no right!”

“No, you don’t get to be angry!” Loki argued, buttoning up his shirt furiously. “I’ve been here alone, humiliated by your stupidity, once again, and fielding questions from our son about why his dad hasn’t called him.”

Tony walked over to Loki, his anger suddenly clouded with concern. He grasped his shoulder and tried to get a good look into Loki’s eyes.

“Are you off your meds again, is that what all this is? Because you’re being crazy.” Tony accused Loki. “I trust you with Peter when you are doing what the doctor says and taking your meds. You know you’re unstable without them.”

“How dare you.” Loki was aghast, completely taken aback by the turn this argument had taken. Tears sprang into his eyes as he shrugged off Tony’s hand. “How could you say that to me?”

“Well are you taking them?” Tony demanded, crossing his arms sternly, not a single ounce of apology in his eyes as he questioned his husband’s integrity.

“Of course I’ve been taking them. How can you not even trust me?” Loki wailed, wiping away tears of hurt. “You’re the one in the wrong and you’ve turned it all on me, you always do this.”

“Why are we even fighting?” Tony asked, immediately contrite. He believed Loki, but he still was too stubborn to see the situation as his own fault. “I’m sorry. I am, I’m sorry.”

He pulled Loki gently to him and kissed his forehead. “I’m sorry.” He repeated, holding his husband tightly until he returned the embrace equally as fiercely.

“I don’t want to fight.” Loki whispered, sniffing back his tears and burying his hurt deep inside. He hated it when Tony was angry at him, and he convinced himself it was his own fault Tony didn’t trust him. It was him who always made things dramatic.

“I’m sorry, I love you.” Loki said, holding Tony’s head in his hands and pressing his mouth to his passionately.

Wordlessly Tony kissed him back, pressing their lips together and pushing his tongue deep into his mouth hurriedly. They kissed and pulled at each other’s bodies, walking backwards until Tony reached their bed and sat down expectantly.

Loki dropped to his knees and began unbuckling Tony’s belt and jeans, both panting with the heat of pent up arousal until Loki succeeded in freeing Tony's erection.

Seeing his lover’s thick cock after so long made Loki’s own member immediately harden, and his own desire deepen as he took Tony’s manhood in hand and pushed his hardness into his warm, wet mouth. Tony buried one hand in Loki’s dark hair, eliciting a growl from his husband, and leaned back on his other hand, his back arched, and his head thrown back as he relished Loki’s mouth around his cock.

Expertly Loki serviced his husband, using his tongue in exquisite ways and sucking him harder and harder until Tony could hardly stand the intensity of the pleasure any longer.

He let go of Loki’s hair, and with a grunt of exertion he came, thrusting his seed down Loki’s throat as he gyrated and bucked his way through his climax. Loki sucked him dutifully until every last drop of his husband’s seed had been swallowed and Tony had gone limp in his mouth.

Loki removed his mouth with an audible pop, wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and tucked Tony back into his trousers. Both men were panting as Tony leaned down and planted a thank-you kiss on Loki’s cheek and hugged his head to him.

After a moment Tony released Loki’s head and stood up. He paused to stretch and then stepped around his husband and went to the en-suite bathroom.

Loki turned over to sit on the floor, staring after Tony, his disappointment and hurt evident on his face as he tried to catch his breath. His own erection dissipated as he sat alone, untended to, and not even thought of.

Painful waves of loneliness and rejection washed over him all too familiarly, but he tried to compose his face when Tony, toothbrush in hand, poked his head back into the bedroom. 

“Get ready, we’re going to be late.”


	2. Harsh Light of Fame

Tony and Loki’s arrival at the Gala that night incited a frenzy, as it most often did. Camera bulbs flashed, journalists pushed and shoved to get closer, and the crowds around the red carpeted roared with excitement.

The chaos was deafening after Tony exited his white stretch limousine and gallantly held the door as Loki followed him gracefully.

Just as he always did when in public Tony took Loki’s hand to walk up along the red carpet. Many other celebrities were ahead of them, being interviewed and photographed, and more were arriving behind them.

Tony was dressed in his usual style, expensive shades, (yes, even at night), a dark velvet smoking jacket, suit pants, and leather shoes. Loki, unable to dress in the way he most desired to, but still a fashionista, was suited up all in black, including his shirt, with a white fur stole and his long hair slicked back.

Tony smiled and waved at the crowds of fans, stopping to wink and be playful with them, from a safe distance, before drawing Loki close to him, putting him “on his arm” so to speak, as they posed for photos.

Loki forced an endearing smile onto his face and clung to Tony’s arm, cooing over him, even planting an occasional kiss on his lips and cheek, doing everything the loyal spouse was supposed to do amidst a media scandal. It was his job to get their fans raving about their cuteness again and forget Tony’s imbecilic words in England.

As they got closer to the museum entrance they became surrounded by film crews and overly tanned, plastic-faced TV and magazine personality’s, all of whom had a microphone to shove in Tony’s face, and an obnoxious question to ask him.

“Tony, Tony! Tony hi!” A high-pitched voice screamed at them from the body of a tiny but familiar looking reporter. Loki couldn’t remember her name and he didn’t care.

“Hello darling.” Tony greeted, flashing his gorgeous smile at the camera behind her as he stopped to chat.

“Tony, can you tell me about England? Were you planning on insulting an entire country?” The woman asked eagerly, practically jumping up and down.

“Honey, I did not come here to talk about England, or its beverages, I came here to support this magnificent museum and its fantastic contributions to the advancement of science.” Tony replied glibly.

“So you don’t think England matters?” The woman asked slyly, making Loki inwardly sigh and wish he could just drop Tony’s arm and walk away from all the bullshit.

“No, I just know what matters most to me,” Tony answered deftly, not eve batting an eyelid. “And that’s this beautiful man right here, and my son at home.” Tony punctuated his words by turning and kissing Loki before turning back to the camera and calling out jovially. “Go to bed Peter!”

Loki managed a sweet reaction and followed Tony as he walked away. He remained quiet, smiling and looking perfectly friendly, perfectly gorgeous, perfectly loving, being everything he wished he could be naturally, until they finally entered the museum.

It was set up to accommodate the guests, waiters with drinks and food darted through the sea of designer gowns and expensive suits, and all of the exhibits were neatly roped off with red velvet.

Immediately Tony took two glasses of champagne from a waiter and passed one to Loki.

“Cheers.” He said, offering his own glass towards his husband.

“Cheers.” Loki agreed hesitantly, clinking his glass against Tony’s as he desperately hoped his husband was being genuinely nice and that it wasn’t just for the cameras.

Soon many of Tony’s business associates and other famous people accosted them and with generous and drunken apologies to Loki, for stealing his husband, they dragged Tony off to celebrate their money, their egos, their women, and other shit that didn’t interest Loki in any way.

He finished his drink and set it down in an alcove on the wall before heading toward an interesting looking exhibit.

“I saw that Mr.” Natasha Romanoff’s husky voice chided him playfully as she sidled up beside him and slipped her gloved arm through his.

“Well hello gorgeous.” Loki gave her his first genuine smile of the evening and spun her away from him so he could drink in every inch of her glorious gown.

“Do you like?” She asked, striking an overtly sexual pose and sticking her tongue out at him.

“I most certainly do.” Loki nodded fiercely, his eyes not drawn to her voluminous cleavage or perfect behind as most would be, but to the rich green fabric she was wearing. It clung to her magnificently, and reached all the way to the floor. The emerald green complimented her coifed ruby red curls wondrously, and she had matched it with silver shoes, a silver clutch, white elbow length gloves, a nude lip and a smoky eye, just as he would have.

“You taunt me so cruelly.” He complained, his jealousy evident as she twirled for him one last time.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve told you, my wardrobe is open to you.” Natasha apologised, hugging her friend and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“You know I can’t.” Loki reminded her, his smile dropping away as he hugged her tightly before letting her go. Natasha could have kicked herself, so immediately injected some humour into the situation to smooth over her fumble. “Well if you had to endure this corset you wouldn’t be as envious, trust me.”

Loki chuckled, grateful to his friend for not delving into the shittier part of his life, and linked arms with her again. “Shall we go get drunk?”

“Yes, absolutely, and you can help me find a hunk to help me out of this corset later.” Natasha agreed readily, making them both laugh as they strode off in search of a waiter with more alcohol.  

The night continued as it usually did then. Tony had fun with his peers, at the forefront of the party, Loki and Natasha stole several bottles of champagne and hid away from the party, upstairs, in a strange galactic exhibit.

Natasha Romanoff was one of the few A-Listers that Loki could stand. She was a singer, and a very talented one at that. She was also incredibly beautiful, inside and out, and she was silly, and sassy, and she didn’t take shit from anyone. She didn’t sing songs she didn’t want to sing, she didn’t wear products she didn’t want to wear, and she didn’t do anything anyone else told her to do. She marched to the beat of her own drum, which was essentially everything Loki himself aspired to.

And despite being somewhat glamorous, she was very down to earth, and very loving. Both Loki and Tony loved her, they invited her on family holidays, to Christmas, and she essentially part of their family.

She had long wanted children of her own, but she had one of the most unfortunate love lives ever, and thanks to the media it was all painfully well documented as well. She was however, Peter’s godmother, and she visited him often. Peter adored her, and her presence was good for him.

Loki had event taken him with him to visit her at her recording studio, and little guys adorable, and surprisingly good attempts at singing along with his godmother had actually ended up one of her #1 hits.

Tony had been enraged at this, even going so far as threatening begin a lawsuit. It had taken hours of coaching with Pepper and a lot of apologising and sobbing on Loki’s part to make him change his mind.

Loki understood that Tony didn’t want their son in the spotlight, he felt the same way. But Peter wasn’t even credited, (which Loki had agreed to at the time) and Natasha had since put more than half a million dollars of the songs profits in trust for Peter when he was older. And he’d only sung a few bars in the outro! He honestly considered it just a fun thing his son got to do that most kids don’t get to, and thought of it as harmless.

Tony had clearly felt otherwise.

Natasha had forgiven Tony’s reaction, because she was a friend to him as well as Loki. She had known them both long enough to know both of their goodness, though Tony’s was harder and harder to see recently.

Away from the party, Loki and Natasha were tipsy and planning grand adventures.

“Should we go on a holiday? A weekend in Europe?” Loki suggested idly as they strolled the halls of the museum, swigging their champagne.

“Oooh yes please, let’s go to London in stay in one of your family’s castles.” Natasha suggested enthusiastically. “I have to start recording again soon, which I love, but I want to get out and travel before I lock myself away.”

“Darling, no. We can’t go to England for a while.” Loki reminded her with a shudder.

“Right.” She licked her lips and thought for a moment before her eyes lit up with the excitement of an idea. “Let’s go to Africa and Peter can see all the amazing animals and cultures.”

“Natasha, you’re brilliant. But not a weekend, a month.” Loki was immediately on board. “Peter loves elephants so much, and he loved Tony’s foundation for saving them. We could take him to our reserve, we could help a village, fund a well, make a difference while we’re there.”

“Done, and done!” Natasha clinked her bottle against Loki’s. “Let’s do it.”

“Perhaps some time away will help me reconnect with Tony too.” Loki continued quietly, stopping to lean against a wall.

Natasha stopped as well and looked up at him with concern. “Are things really bad?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t know if I’m being crazy and clingy, or if Tony really is being distant.” Loki admitted, biting his lip.

“You’re not crazy babe.” Natasha argued, disappointed to hear him talking like this. “If he’s making you sad, talk to him about it. He’s your husband.” She tried to be encouraging, Loki would never say it, he cared about her too much, but she was well aware her failed relationships were not good ground to stand on when giving out advice.

“I just feel so alone.” Loki choked out, tears overwhelming him out of nowhere.

“Oh my god.” Natasha rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Loki. “Shhh, shhh, oh honey.” She rocked him back and forth as he let out his pent up feelings and cried on her shoulder.

Holding him was awkward since he was taller than her, so she sank to the floor, bringing him down with her, and just held him for a while.

“You know what’s funny?” Loki asked after several minutes had passed and his eyes had dried a little. “We’re usually in the opposite positions, but I think you do a better job of comforting.”

Natasha laughed quietly and pushed him away gently. “Don’t be such a sap.”

She got up and dusted off her dress before offering him her hand. “And besides, you are much better than I am at making people feel better.”

After a quick stop in a bathroom to touch up their faces and ditch their champagne bottles the pair returned to the party. It had quieted down somewhat, and people were leaving, most headed to after parties, some to their beds, and a few probably into places they shouldn’t be going.

“Ah, I wondered where you two had gotten off to.” Tony greeted them with kisses when he saw them arrive. “Ah we ready to go my love?”

“Yes, let’s go.” Loki offered Tony a smile, unsurprised that he didn’t notice his red puffy eyes. They bid goodbye to Natasha fondly and Tony had their limousine brought around. They left together, hand in hand, though the red carpet was quieter on the way out. It was still bright and filled with journalists, but the fans had long left for their beds.

Once inside the car Tony dropped his pleasant demeanour as quickly as he dropped Loki’s hand.

The drive was unpleasant, silence reigned as they drove away from the bright lights of the city, and into the moonlit seaside. Tony didn’t look at Loki, who curled up sadly and pressed his forehead against the car window. Quiet tears dripped down his cheeks as he blindly watched the dark scenery flash by.

He’d never felt more alone in his life.


End file.
